TULSA, O.K.- A decade ago, Kyle Busch likely would have scoffed at the idea of racing at the Chili Bowl. The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion showed little outward Interest in dirt racing.
But much has changed in the past 10 years.
Busch and son Brexton are the defending track champions at the popular 1/6-mile Millbridge Speedway in Salisbury, N.C. Both competed in the Tulsa Shootout, with Brexton claiming the Junior Sprint A-Main. Two weeks later, Kyle is back in the SageNet Center, contesting the Chili Bowl for the first time in his career.
Leading up to the event, Busch had some fun on social media, posting a video of him trying to climb out of the racecar and clearly struggling to make it out. As it turns out, that funny moment wasn’t planned.
“No, just spontaneous,” Busch told Frontstretch on Friday. “You know I was in the shop and we’re just trying to get everything all fitted and a brand new seat, never sat in it on the floor. So obviously it didn’t fit, and getting in and out of the car was a challenge anyways. But we got it all scienced out, (I can) get in pretty easy now. It’s a part of the whole game and the learning experience, just trying to make my way into dirt racing.”
The Richard Childress Racing star looked strong early on his prelim night, charging from seventh to second in his heat race on Friday evening. But that proved to be the highlight of his event
Busch started sixth in his qualifier and climbed as high as fourth, but ultimately slid back to seventh by the end of 10 laps. He had a shot to make the prelim night A-main afterward, but couldn’t hold onto an early transfer position in the B-main, fading back to seventh before the checkered flag flew.
“When I was going forward, yeah a lot more fun going forward,” Busch said of his experience. “When the track had grip earlier we had some pretty good grip, we had some pretty good speed, so that felt good. Last couple times we hit the track (the car had) just too much wheelspin, not enough stick. Got to be able to grip that corner and we just weren’t having it.”
When running the bottom of the racetrack Busch was holding his own, but he found difficulty when moving to the top of the track on both ends. Running the cushion was a struggle for Busch, one he acknowledged takes track time to learn.
“Well to switch back and forth and just be able to hit it right away, yeah you’ve got to have laps in these cars,” Busch said. “Repetitions and being able to race at these tracks, and being up against the curb a few times and understand what it does and how it works. For me, this is my first time doing that. I mean I’ve tested it 150 laps or whatever but there was no curb there, it was literally just a flat track.
“Completely different philosophy and concept and things that you’ve got to do to understand how to make that work.”
With his seventh-place result in the B-main on Friday, Busch could be set for a healthy helping of the event’s notorious alphabet soup. The Nevadan will roll from eighth in the second F-main on Saturday. He’ll need to finish in the top five to advance on to an E-Main and keep moving up from there to continue on further. Busch is keeping his expectations realistic based on performance thus far.
“Coming in I would have said a C-Main would be probably pretty good, pretty respectable,” Busch said when asked of his goals. “But we’ll be starting in an F tomorrow so, F to E? That’s a little lower than I wanted to be, but I think that’s probably where we’d be.”
The question everyone wants answered is simple. Is Busch enjoying the Chili Bowl?
“There’s a lot of interest in here you know,” Busch said of the iconic event. “(There are) a lot of interesting individuals, but (it’s) also just the whole morale and the fun time. Everybody here (is) just kind of laying it out, having a great time. I’ve never been to the Kentucky Derby, but a lot of people kind of talk about that. It kind of seems like that, where it’s just a good ole time, a lot of people having fun.”
It sounds like he’s having a good time. So will we see Busch back at the Chili Bowl next year?
The past decade has taught us one thing: Only time will tell.
Chase began working with Frontstretch in the spring of 2023 as a news writer, while also helping fill in for other columns as needed. Chase is now the main writer and reporter for Frontstretch.com's CARS Tour coverage, a role which began late in 2023. Aside from racing, some of Chase's other hobbies include time in the outdoors hunting and fishing, and keeping up with all things Philadelphia sports related.
Yes, he will be back. He’s just having fun learning and he’s a wheelman and true racer. He will be back.
Agreed, and let’s hope he brings more NASCAR drivers with him. And how about some other disciplines too, Indy car, Monster Trucks? Even the straight line guys have entered before.
Although NOT a fan of the streaming format, the audience numbers have to be crappy. Too bad the racing is awesome, yet not seen by the majority of people.
Yeah, YOU tell the wife about another streaming fee on the next bill!!!
Very interesting story